Written answer
Climate Change Policy
The Minister highlighted expanded retrofit and heat-pump grants for rural oil-heated homes, while continuing to explore transitional technologies for households unable to switch immediately.
43. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his plans to address the particular challenges associated with decarbonising rural homes that remain dependent on oil (kerosene) and other fossil fuels for heating; and whether his Department is developing a transitional pathway for households for which immediate installation of a heat pump and associated retrofit works may not be technically or financially feasible. [65877/26]
Comment on this
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) residential retrofit programmes are available to all households, including those reliant on oil and solid fuel for heating, to support the fabric upgrade of buildings as well as solar PV and heat pump installation.
The CSO’s latest home heating figures published in November 2025 show that in 2024, nationally 26% of people reported using kerosene as the main heat source, with this percentage rising to 41% in rural locations. The CSO report is available at Key Findings Household Environmental Behaviours - Energy Use 2024 - Central Statistics Office.
The Government’s National Residential Retrofit Plan, published in January 2026, introduced a range of new measures and increased grants making it easier to undertake retrofitting and decarbonise heating.
Specifically, for heat pumps:
(i) the heat pump system grant has been expanded for a maximum total grant value of up to €12,500; and
(ii) a new grant of €6,500 for replacement of an existing end-of-life heat pump that is out of warranty and where the in-situ heat pump has not previously been SEAI grant aided.
The National Retrofit Plan is delivering at scale and pace. Capital expenditure of over €2 billion has delivered over 287,000 home energy upgrades from 2019 to end August 2026, including over 39,500 fully-funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty under the Warmer Homes Scheme.
In 2026, a record capital budget of €640 million has been allocated to the SEAI's residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV Scheme.
We remain committed to ensuring that households benefit from Ireland's renewable energy transition and will continue to explore how best to integrate other technologies into our energy programmes.